14 May, 2017
The police chief of an OH village and two nursing home employees were killed by a gunman, who was later found dead inside the care facility, a sheriff said.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said during a second press conference that the shooter was from Utica and warrants have been obtained for his home and a pair of vehicles.
Thorp went on to identify the slain police chief as 36-year-old Steven Eric Disario, who was in charge of the Kirkersville Police Department. Two victims were employees of the nursing home, and authorities believe the [other] person was the shooter, Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp said. NBC4i says Disario had six children and a seventh is on the way.
"It's a very hard day for law enforcement in Licking County", Sheriff Thorp said.
In January 2016, Danville Police Officer Thomas Cottrell Jr. was shot and killed in the line of duty. "It's just a tragic event", he said. "I guess the only peace of mind is that the threat is over".
Ohio Gov. John Kasich (KAY'-sihk) has ordered flags flown at half-staff following the fatal shooting of a village police chief in an attack that also killed two nursing home employees.
It is estimated that there are between 270 million and 300 million guns in the USA, about one per person, according to the New York Daily News.
Matters came to the fore when officers arrived at the Kirkersville nursing home just before 8 a.m. Friday to investigate calls about an active shooter at the facility in the 200 block of E Main Street.
Authorities say the gunman also was found dead Friday.
She lived on the same street as he did in the nearby village of Utica.
Kirkersville is a village in central OH with a population of around 500 that is around 24 miles (39 km) east of Columbus.
The hostages were able to get away when the suspect shot Kirkersville Police Chief Steven Eric Disario, who was dispatched to the scene. A heavy police presence is still located at the school.
Kirkersville Elementary was placed on lockdown and its students transported to the town's middle school.
Kirkersville Elementary School is closed for the day. "They didn't call us till like 15-20 minutes later".
Disario had only been on the job for about three weeks.
The police chief of Kirkersville, Ohio, and three others have died after a shooting at a nursing home in the southern Licking County community.
Thorp said DiSario's last radio traffic was that he had the man in sight.
Several state officials reacted to the news of the shooting in Kirkersville on Twitter. People shouted that they needed police, the witness said. "Ask for prayers for those injured. Grateful for law enforcement's quick response".
"Heartbreaking news. Grateful to law enforcement who responded to the scene". Backup officers later responded and found Disario outside the Pine Kirk Care Center nursing home.
The owner of the facility is listed as Living Care Alternatives of Kirkersville, Inc.
As of May 3, 2017, there were 23 residents at the facility.
